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Microelectromechanical Systems Advanced Materials and Fabrication Methods (1997) / Chapter Skim
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4 Designing Microelectromechanical Systems
Pages 34-37

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From page 34...
... For example, an extensive knowledge-base exists of the electrical properties of polysilicon thin films, but knowledge about their micromechanical properties is limited as is detailed knowledge of the long-term reliability of mechanically stressed polysilicon or the surface mechanics related to friction, wear, corrosion, and stress-related failure. There is a similar lack of fundamental understanding about other thin-film materials borrowed from the electrical domain and now exercised mechanically (e.g., silicon nitride, silicon dioxide, and thin-film metals)
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From page 35...
... Unfortunately, material parameters change from fabrication facility to fabrication facility, so the CAD package will have to keep track of where the devices are to be made. FOUNDRY INFRASTRUCTURE To assure industry and government users that they will be able to manufacture future MEMS products at competitive rates, the United States will have to develop a MEMS foundry-technology base similar to the base that supports the IC markets.
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From page 36...
... Work on developing a foundry infrastructure includes the DARPA-supported MEMS Infrastructure programs at MCNC, Analog Devices, and Sandia and the custom prototyping and manufacturing capabilities at organizations such as IC Sensors, NovaSensor, Silicon Microstructures, and others. The establishment of standard processes and foundries for MEMS depends on a complex set of issues but is essential in the near future to support the growth of MEMS from the prototype and low-volume commercial level to the volumedriven, low-cost commercial regime.
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From page 37...
... Establishing standard CAD and foundry infrastructure for MEMS is essential in the near future to support the growth of MEMS from the prototype and low-volume commercial level to the volume-driven, low-cost commercial level. The development of a MEMS foundry-technology base, similar to the base that supports ICs, would assure users 37 that MEMS products can be manufactured at competitive rates and would enable small companies and research organizations to enter the field.
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Key Terms

  • mems foundries
  • mems devices
  • foundry infrastructure
  • competitive rates
  • mems field

  • commercial level
  • fabrication facility
  • mechanical properties
  • foundry interface
  • process mems

  • government users
  • mems products
  • standard process
  • flexible fabrication
  • fabrication facilities

  • cad infrastructure
  • behavioral characteristics
  • require access
  • process steps
  • material behavior

  • solid modeling
  • sarnoff laboratories
  • independently develop
  • removing individual
  • realizing mems

  • discrete data
  • efficient interactive
  • requires using
  • optical measurement
  • methods using


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